CNU field hockey trip to Final Four a year-long process

Carrie Moura doesn't predict records or outcomes, but Christopher Newport's field hockey coach recalled the precise moment when she knew that the Captains would field a top-shelf team.

"The second our season ended last year," Moura said. "We felt like our season ended too early and we could have accomplished more. We had a lot of kids coming back and I knew they'd be determined."

The Captains (21-1) proved Moura correct, blasting through their first season in the Capital Athletic Conference and setting a school record for victories.

CNU defeated CAC rival Catholic 1-0 Sunday in the NCAA regionals to earn the program's first trip to the Division III Final Four, where it will face Bowdoin 11 a.m. Friday at the National Training Center in Virginia Beach. If the fourth-ranked Captains win their semifinal, they will play the winner of Salisbury-Skidmore at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at Old Dominion.

The Captains have a veteran group that's effective at both ends of the field. They have outscored opponents 83-16 and outshot the opposition 569-169. They have defeated six ranked teams, and their only loss has been to Salisbury in the CAC tournament final, 1-0 in two overtimes.

Belle Tunstall, a junior from Vienna, was the South Region Player of the Year after leading the conference in goals (18) and points (47). She has 95 career points, six shy of the school record, with at least one more game this season and a full senior year ahead.

Tunstall was joined on the all-region team by senior midfielder Marlene Lichty, while defender Shelby Judkins and attack Lauren Cheatham were named second-team all-region. Cheatham, a sophomore from Denbigh High, is the Captains' No. 2 scorer with 13 goals and 32 points.

Judkins, a senior from Bethel High, anchors a defense that limited opponents to a 0.71 goals-against average, third in the nation. She also has scored 11 goals and has 27 points. She scored both goals in the Captains' NCAA regional wins, 1-0 victories over Centre (Ky.) and Catholic.

"In high school, she was one of the best scorers in her district," Moura said, "but she's so good on defense, that that's where we play her. She still does really well on attack and on what you'd call set plays."

Judkins and fellow defenders Chelsea Hines (Kecoughtan) and Jordan Snider (Menchville) made the transition easier for freshman goalkeeper Bailey Lien, who has allowed just 12 goals in 1,415 minutes.

"It helps to have a veteran defense in front of you," Moura said. "Bailey was a pretty confident player coming in, but we also have a couple of other good goalkeepers who push her every day."

There was no lack of motivation after last season's team finished 17-2 with a loss to No. 2 Montclair State in the Sweet 16.

"They were practicing so hard in the spring, when I wasn't around," Moura said. "They were out there in nor'easters, torrential downpours — you name it, they were out there working out. They lifted weights and were shooting on the cage every chance they got. They sacrificed a lot because I think they knew how good they could be."

Moura has built an elite program, pretty much from scratch. In her 11th season, the Captains are 155-45 on her watch — a .775 winning percentage — with eight consecutive NCAA appearances. In the past four years, the Captains are 65-13, an .833 win percentage.

Accomplishments aside, Moura wouldn't go so far as to call this her best team.

"We have a lot of talent," she said, "but we've had a lot of talent on some of our other teams. They just didn't advance as far."

Moura clearly relishes this group.

"It's a very coachable team," she said. "They're willing to learn. They always want more information on ways to improve. They're all really supportive of each other."